Ariza to Hornets?

this is a discussion within the Pelicans Community Forum; ESPN's Chad Ford is reporting that a four-team blockbuster trade is being seriously discussed on Wednesday.
Trevor Ariza would be sent to the Hornets, Courtney Lee would join the Rockets, Darren Collison and James Posey would go to the Pacers, ...

ESPN's Chad Ford is reporting that a four-team blockbuster trade is being seriously discussed on Wednesday.

Trevor Ariza would be sent to the Hornets, Courtney Lee would join the Rockets, Darren Collison and James Posey would go to the Pacers, and Troy Murphy would go to the Nets. Collison would be the biggest fantasy winner in this scenario, as he would start at point guard for the Pacers, while Murphy would likely limit the development of Derrick Favors in New Jersey, as well as take his starting job. Stay tuned.

Source: Chad Ford on Twitter

We'd be getting too little or a return for Collison in this proposed deal. I hope we don't pull the trigger on this.

I like the trade. I think it helps the Hornets chances of securing CP3 long term. It shows him the team is willing to take on salary to build a winner. Dumping Posey's $6.4MM/yr contract to pay your new 25 year old entering his prime starting 3 wingman for $6.3MM/yr is a great deal. The Hornets need to make a run at Earl Watson or Jannero Pargo however, as they have no backup for CP3 at this point.

Collison or CP3 had to go IMO. You can't have two starting PG's on your team when you have nothing on the wings besides Thornton.

I like the trade. I think it helps the Hornets chances of securing CP3 long term. It shows him the team is willing to take on salary to build a winner. Dumping Posey's $6.4MM/yr contract to pay your new 25 year old entering his prime starting 3 wingman for $6.3MM/yr is a great deal. The Hornets need to make a run at Earl Watson or Jannero Pargo however, as they have no backup for CP3 at this point.

Collison or CP3 had to go IMO. You can't have two starting PG's on your team when you have nothing on the wings besides Thornton.

Agreed. While I like Collison, you can't have both...I think this is a good move! Let's see what's next.

Scouting report: A lean 6-5, Belinelli can shoot the ball from distance but is much better off the catch than off the dribble, partly because he has so much trouble freeing himself off the bounce. Although he can handle the ball well for his size, he doesn't have the burst or deception to beat defenders off the dribble consistently so putting him in a playmaking role reaps few dividends.

Golden State employed Belinelli as a defensive stopper at times, a cry for help if I've ever seen one. While his fundamentals aren't bad and he has good anticipation (witness his high rate of steals), he can't challenge shots and was middling at best in terms of stopping penetration. One thing he did really well, however, was take charges. Belinelli finished fifth in the league in offensive fouls drawn per minute (see J.J. Barea comment).

2009-10 outlook: Golden State traded Belinelli to Toronto after the season in a salary dump, but he'll fit in well with the Raptors. Toronto plays a half-court, floor-spacing style that should benefit a deep shooter like Belinelli, and since the Raptors aren't exactly laden with wing talent, he should be able to find some minutes. He's had two years and hasn't played very effectively, and if he can't succeed here in a system tailor-made to his skills, he never will.

Scouting report: Ariza is big for a wing player at 6-8 and that size makes him a strong defender at the small forward spot. He's a ball hawk who darts into passing lanes to create turnovers and transition chances, but his length also allows him to challenge shots and he has decent quickness. He's still learning the nuances of on-ball defense and can be beaten on cuts off the ball, but he's a quality defender who's getting better.

Offensively, Ariza is an outstanding finisher in transition and he's strong going to the basket in half-court settings as well. He takes good care of the ball and moves well without it to get himself layups and dunks, but he's not a great dribbler and doesn't make plays for himself off the bounce. Ariza isn't much of an outside shooter, but has become competent at spotting up in the corners, requiring opponents to at least pay him some attention out there.

2009-10 outlook: Ariza signed a five-year deal with Houston for the full midlevel exception (though technically he slotted into Houston's injury exception for Yao Ming) and will take over as the Rockets' starting small forward. He's 24 and still has multiple areas he can improve -- defending, shooting and attacking off the dribble -- so he offers a ton of promise for the coming season.

For the year ahead, however, it's much more realistic to project his regular-season 3-point percentage rather than his playoff mark. Those who saw him only in the postseason shouldn't presume he'll rain in shots from downtown, as he's a low 30s shooter for his career. He'll play 38 minutes a game instead of last year's 24, and that will help his per-game numbers considerably. His scoring average may not exceed the low teens, but he might challenge for the league lead in steals.

Ariza is a good wing defender but his 3 point shot is weak and his mid range jumper is inconsistent. I do agree that Ariza is a much better player than Posey. I might be overrating Collison, though I don't think I am being that he plays a premium position with loads of talent, I just feel we should be able to get a better return for him... not just Ariza.

Benelli really never has gotten the minutes to showcase his shooting talents. Both players are esentially first round bust... but I'll take the sharp shooter over the guy with an absolutely terrible offensive game and basketball IQ.

Watching Ariza last season with the Rockets....i can tell ya..he is streaky..some games he vashished..The Rockets realized he wasnt worth the contract they gave him..He is a decent defender..so he will help there..Theres talk and thats all it is over here on the radio that the Rockets are freeing up room to sign Paul...i dont know how much truth there is in that...

There's no truth to that. Paul is here for at least another year. The Hornets are going to make a run at it and see if they can land a big time player at the trade deadline with Peja's expiring contract.

The Hornets will definitely be in the playoffs this year as long as Paul stays healthy and they can find a decent backup for him.